The ND FFA Foundation, in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, is proud to support real educational experiences that connect youth with the heart of agriculture. Few programs do this better than “Ag in the Gym,” a traveling classroom experience focused on crops, livestock, and agricultural literacy.
Program: Ag in the Gym
Facilitator: Jeff Gale, Foster County Extension
Impact: 460 students
Purpose: Teach 4th–6th grade students about the importance of North Dakota crops—specifically oilseeds and pulses—in a fun, interactive format.
Objectives:
- Help students understand the significance of agriculture in their daily lives and communities.
- Introduce key crops grown in North Dakota: soybeans, sunflower, canola, flax, and dry edible beans.
- Provide a dynamic, multi-sensory educational experience with hands-on learning stations.
Ag in the Gym follows a four-year curriculum cycle that rotates through cereal grains, livestock, and oilseed/pulse crops. This year’s focus gave students a deeper understanding of soybeans, sunflowers, flax, canola, and dry beans—agricultural staples in North Dakota. Presentations were held at four schools: Harvey, Fessenden, New Rockford-Sheyenne, and Carrington.
Thanks to the Ag in the Classroom mini-grant, the team designed and laminated eight colorful posters for use on portable display boards. These boards were supplemented with live plants, seed samples, and even taste-testing stations that featured sunflower butter and brownies made with chickpeas. The nature of the event helped reinforce key lessons and kept students highly engaged.
The presentations were led by NDSU Extension agents, staff from the county health department, and local volunteers. To assess the program’s impact, students completed pre- and post-tests measuring their agricultural knowledge.
Teacher Feedback:
“I like how it teaches students about different parts of agriculture. Some kids truly have no idea—even though they live in an agricultural state.”
Looking Ahead:
As fewer students grow up on farms, programs like Ag in the Gym become increasingly vital. By making agriculture tangible, relatable, and fun, the team behind this project is building a generation of informed consumers and potential future ag leaders.
